Have high powered factory cars ruined hotrodding???

[Mikej89]

In my opinion it's gradually changed for the worse over the past 10-12 years. I remember when the fastest new cars on the road were LS1 F-bodies and SVT Cobras. That was a big deal when those SVT Cobras came out in 2003 rated at 390hp... Only high ends had 500hp like Vipers and Z06 Corvettes, so 13 and 14 sec cars were still considered fast. If you had anything with a mild 350 in it you could hold your own...

But like everything else, they had to ruin it. Now you basically need a top fuel dragster to impress anyone with 700hp Challenger Hellcats running around .

Rant over lol

 

[Qdub24]

Not at all. The manufacturers always leave some meat on the bone for the aftermarket companies, mostly because of the companies' accountants and the insurance companies. Not to mention people like myself, you don't won't to void the factory warranties. My 2SS and Scat Pack will both be stock until their respective factory warranties expire.

 

[Qdub24]

If anything, the modern day "muscle car revival" has reignited the passion for high-powered street cars. I've seen a lot more G-bodies with stroked, supercharged, nitrous, and/or turbocharged set ups that are actually street-driven in recent years.

 

[UNGN]

Nearly 100% stock V-6 Honda accords and Toyota Camry's have been running 13 second 1/4 miles for almost 10 years now. Unless you live in Denver, It has been 20 years since 14 second quarters were "fast".

The fast factory cars finally got the NHRA to change stupid rules like the 11.99 6 point rollbar requirement... Though they still have a 13.49 Second convert 6 point rule when you can buy a low 11 second Z06 convert right from GM (at least its better than the 13.99 from a few years ago).

The faster new car are, the cheaper older fast cars are. It is great to be able to buy a car for cheaper than it would cost to build it. My daily driver was over $80,000 new and super rare. I paid $4,500 for it.

Every time Barrett-Jackson comes on TV, somebody always complains the "rich guys" are driving up the price of the good cars. Fast new cars are driving down the price of the "good cars" even faster than rich guys are driving them up.

 

[motorheadmike]

I just watched the season finale of Top Gear last night - and the guys were just going goofy (albeit a little ignorant) over the Demon... in the UK! So, no - it hasn't ruined the hobby to have stupidly powerful factory cars, it is expanding and driving the industry/aftermarket to keep up. There is a huge trickle down effect with technology, which is driving innovation, which is generating accessibility. Plus, there is the added benefit of benchmarks set by these new factory offerings - meaning I am going to go out of my way to knock you off your new car pedestal with my home built thing.

Personally I have been drinking the late-model performance Kool-Aid since 2002 - when I convinced a girlfriend at the time to custom order a new 6 speed Z28; since then Natasha (an upgrade over the previous GF) and I have had LSx powered cars (2002 B4C, 2007 TBSS, my wagon, and soon to be my MCSS) dating back to 2007. Hell, Natasha's 2015 Colorado has 300+hp from a 3.6L V6 and it moves out nicely with some light mods.

I remember when the only aluminum block anything you could get was a ZL1 crate motor - so exotic. Now they are everywhere. So if you are putting around with a 305/350 with smog heads, a 3/4 race cam, 1-5/8 headers, and some Cherry Bombs... well that is your choice to be stuck in the past. Because if you don't have an 11 second car these days you are driving a stone compared to factory offerings - an unfortunate reality. That being said 9 second street cars are only commonplace on the internet (largest concentration of information in one space will skew your perspective), so don't get caught up in the 1000hp race.

 

[zdeckich]

But its to hard not to get caught up in the HP race. At least its fun lol. My V makes 600rwhp right now and im considered the slow guy at the track running 10.70's.

 

[olds307 and 403]

I just watched the season finale of Top Gear last night - and the guys were just going goofy (albeit a little ignorant) over the Demon... in the UK! So, no - it hasn't ruined the hobby to have stupidly powerful factory cars, it is expanding and driving the industry/aftermarket to keep up. There is a huge trickle down effect with technology, which is driving innovation, which is generating accessibility. Plus, there is the added benefit of benchmarks set by these new factory offerings - meaning I am going to go out of my way to knock you off your new car pedestal with my home built thing.

Personally I have been drinking the late-model performance Kool-Aid since 2002 - when I convinced a girlfriend at the time to custom order a new 6 speed Z28; since then Natasha (an upgrade over the previous GF) and I have had LSx powered cars (2002 B4C, 2007 TBSS, my wagon, and soon to be my MCSS) dating back to 2007. Hell, Natasha's 2015 Colorado has 300+hp from a 3.6L V6 and it moves out nicely with some light mods.

I remember when the only aluminum block anything you could get was a ZL1 crate motor - so exotic. Now they are everywhere. So if you are putting around with a 305/350 with smog heads, a 3/4 race cam, 1-5/8 headers, and some Cherry Bombs... well that is your choice to be stuck in the past. Because if you don't have an 11 second car these days you are driving a stone compared to factory offerings - an unfortunate reality. That being said 9 second street cars are only commonplace on the internet (largest concentration of information in one space will skew your perspective), so don't get caught up in the 1000hp race.

Is top gear still on? That show was/is enjoyable to people who are only mildly interested in cars, hilarious. If anything the fast factory cars drove G body prices down here and with our economy, I don't see it recovering soon.

 

[Qdub24]

G-body prices have been steadily increasing in recent years

 

[motorheadmike]

Is top gear still on? That show was/is enjoyable to people who are only mildly interested in cars, hilarious.

Yup, mostly new cast (last season was a total bust - horrible) and it is really entertaining for the short time these folks have had to work together. The format is working.

 

[UNGN]

... and some Cherry Bombs... well that is your choice to be stuck in the past.

Even today's Cherry Bomb aren't your father's Cherry Bomb. We were looking for a loud muffler for my kid's Miata and Auto Zone had a $23 2.5" Cherry Bomb. I opened the box they were straight thru design with small perforations and no "baffles" like the '60's version. They will now flow some serious air. Dual 2.5" Cherry bombs should be good into the low 11's and not show up on as a drag on a timeslip where the old version was a restriction in the high 13's.